Amoeba Music

Amoeba records is a destination in itself, and every music lover will want to head there. But, turning your attention from the music to the people is also a worthwhile pursuit. Very, very fascinating! Young Cyndi Laupers and John Lennon wannabes, drift past punk rockers and cowboy booted country lovers. All united in their love for music.

In a city increasingly crowded with technophiles, Amoeba Music remains refreshingly analog. Founded in Berkeley in 1990 as the independent answer to the corporate music boom, it’s no surprise the San Francisco outpost (a former bowling alley) sits in the countercultural Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. Inside, browse hundreds of thousands of music titles in the form of vinyls, CDs, and cassettes. Amoeba was started by former employees of Rasputin Records, and the staff today is mostly comprised of musicians and music enthusiasts with knowledge waiting to be tapped. Come here to geek out on music the old-school way.

Amoeba Music bills themselves as the world’s largest independent record store, and one look inside their location on Haight Street will have you convinced that they’re right. Since 1990, right around the time when large chains were swallowing up the smaller music store, Amoeba (with locations in Berkeley, San Francisco, and Hollywood) has not only kept afloat, but thrived. Since they have both new music and are a trading post for used discs, the stock is constantly evolving, and you’ll find something for everyone there—top 40, rock, hip-hop, soul, electronica, jazz, world, and experimental. Not only do they sell music, but Amoeba also has an impressive lineup of live shows in their store; check their online calendar to see what’s coming up. The Amoeba Music on Haight Street is open Mondays through Sundays from 11 am to 8 pm.

There didn’t seem to be anyone listening to iPods or MP3 players the day I visited Amoeba Music. Instead, heads were up and bobbing to a band playing on the stage that looked over the music store. Those that weren’t heeding the band were plucking through rows after rows of CDs and records at the self-proclaimed “world’s largest record store.”